Thorlabs' Pyroelectric Energy Meter Sensors are sensitive to wavelengths from 185 nm to 25 µm and together span the energy range from 10 µJ to 15 J. All of these sensors provide a flat response over a large wavelength range. The ES220C and ES245C feature a ceramic coating that is specifically designed for lasers with high energy densities requiring high damage thresholds.

CompatibilityAll the sensors listed here are compatible with the PM400, PM100D, PM320E, and PM100USB. Please note that they are not compatible with the PM100A. Alternatively, the sensors can be connected directly to an oscilloscope with a 1 MΩ input resistance via the BNC connector. To accommodate higher repetition rates when connected to oscilloscopes, the load resistance can be reduced. Calibration value for both 1 MΩ and 100 kΩ resistors are given with the sensor certificate of calibration.

The bottom of the sensor head has an 8-32 mounting hole. Since the heads are very sensitive to ground loops and electrical noise, we recommend attaching the heads to the included electrically isolating post adapters, which provide direct compatibility with either imperial or metric Ø1/2" (Ø12.7 mm) Posts. The ES120C and the ES220C can also be mounted to our 30 mm Cage System via the four 4-40 threaded holes on the front, although this mounting option does not provide electrical isolation.

CalibrationEach sensor head is individually calibrated and is shipped with a NIST- and PTB-Traceable Calibration Certificate. The calibration and identification data is stored in the BNC to C-Series adapter and is downloaded automatically when connected to the console.

Recalibration ServicesRecalibration services are available for our power sensors, energy sensors, and consoles. We recommend recalibrating your Thorlabs sensor and console as a pair; however, each may be recalibrated individually. To order this service for your sensor or combined sensor and console, scroll to the bottom of the page and select Item # CAL-S200. To order this service for only your console, please contact Tech Support.

Item #

ES111C

ES120C

ES145C

ES220C

ES245C

Technical Specs

Detector Type

Standard Pyroelectric Energy Sensor

High Energy Pyroelectric Energy Sensor

Wavelength Range

185 nm - 25 µm

185 nm - 25 µm

Optical Energy Range

10 µJ - 150 mJ

100 µJ - 500 mJ

500 µJ - 2 J

500 µJ - 3 J

1 mJ - 15 J

Max Repetition Rate (@ 1 MΩ Load)

40 Hz

30 Hz

30 Hz

30 Hz

30 Hz

Max Power Density(Pulse Width)Range

8 MW/cm²(10 ns Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

65 MW/cm²(7 ns Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

65 MW/cm²(7 ns Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

Max Pulse Energy Density(Pulse Width)Range

0.15 J/cm²(1 µs Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

0.45 J/cm²(7 ns Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

0.45 J/cm²(7 ns Pulse)185 nm - 25 μm

Max Average Power

0.15 W

0.15 W

0.5 W

5 W

10 W

Resolutiona

100 nJ

1 µJ

1 µJ

25 µJ

50 µJ

Linearity

±1%

±1%

Measurement Uncertainty

±5%

±5%

Thermal Time Constant

20 ms

20 ms

General Information

Typical Application

Energy Measurement for Pulsed Lasers with Pulse Lengths from sub-ns to ms

Energy Measurement for Pulsed Lasers with High Peak Power Density and Pulse Lengths from sub-ns to ms

Thorlabs offers a wide selection of power and energy meter consoles and interfaces for operating our power and energy sensors. Key specifications of all of our power meter consoles and interfaces are presented below to help you decide which device is best for your application. We also offer self-contained wireless power meters and compact USB power meters.

When used with our C-series sensors, Thorlabs' power meter consoles and interfaces recognize the type of connected sensor and measure the current or voltage as appropriate. Our C-series sensors have responsivity calibration data stored in their connectors. The console will read out the responsivity value for the user-entered wavelength and calculate a power or energy reading.

Photodiode sensors deliver a current that depends on the input optical power and the wavelength. The current is fed into a transimpedance amplifier, which outputs a voltage proportional to the input current. The photodiode's responsivity is wavelength dependent, so the correct wavelength must be entered into the console for an accurate power reading. The console reads out the responsivity for this wavelength from the connected sensor and calculates the optical power from the measured photocurrent.

Thermal sensors deliver a voltage proportional to the input optical power. Based on the measured sensor output voltage and the sensor's responsivity, the console will calculate the incident optical power.

Energy sensors are based on the pyroelectric effect. They deliver a voltage peak proportional to the pulse energy. If an energy sensor is recognized, the console will use a peak voltage detector and the pulse energy will be calculated from the sensor's responsivity.

The consoles and interfaces are also capable of providing a readout of the current or voltage delivered by the sensor. Select models also feature an analog output.

These are the measurement views built into the unit. All of our power meter consoles except the PM320E can be controlled using the Optical Power Monitor software package. The PM320E has its own software package.

ES220C能量计接到PM100D表头上怎么使用？为什么用了几次没有读数？ How to use the ES220C with PM100D? Why there is no respondance during my measurements?

swick
&nbsp(posted 2019-03-28 06:28:23.0)

This is a response from Sebastian at Thorlabs. Thank you for the inquiry.
Usage of ES220C with PM100D is Plug&Play. If you get no energy reading please check settings energy range and trigger level.
I contacted you directly for troubleshooting.

Jack Grigor
&nbsp(posted 2019-03-15 11:29:57.383)

can you tell me the relevance of the absorption graph shown for the ceramic coated ES245C detector? The specification quotes a measurement uncertainty of+/- 5% from 185 nm to 25 um, how does the absorption of the ceramic coating affect that when it drops by about 20% shortly after 1000nm? Does the detector responsivity not change at those longer wavelengths?
Thanks in advance.

nreusch
&nbsp(posted 2019-03-19 06:02:23.0)

This is a response from Nicola at Thorlabs. Thank you for your inquiry! Generally speaking, a low responsivity of a detector system for certain wavelength ranges can lead to a reduced accuracy in this range. This is, however, only relevant if the responsivity is reduced by a lager factor. For e.g. our photodiode sensors, we specify different uncertainties for different wavelength ranges (3%, 5% or 7%). The 5% measurement uncertainty for ES245C is valid across the whole wavelength range.

Bruce Melcher
&nbsp(posted 2019-03-13 10:24:47.53)

Is the ES220C sensor fast enough to respond to a single 7ns pulse at a 6mJ power level?
We are firing a single shot, 7ns, 6mJ, 1570nm Laser pulse into the ES220C sensor. We "appear" to get nothing but noise as an output (less than 1 mV).

nreusch
&nbsp(posted 2019-03-19 08:24:22.0)

This is a response from Nicola at Thorlabs. Thank you for your inquiry. Pyroelectric sensors can resolve single pulses as long as the pulse energy is within the specified range. Please double check that the trigger level and the energy range are set correctly. We will contact you directly to provide further assistance.

j.t.m.dehaas
&nbsp(posted 2016-08-04 08:53:32.52)

What is the input resistance of the BNC to DB9 mating adapter?
In other words what is the max. repetition rates of the sensor + the adapter?
Best regards
Johan

swick
&nbsp(posted 2016-08-04 06:00:28.0)

This is a response from Sebastian at Thorlabs. Thank you very much for your inquiry.
The input resistance of the BNC-DB9 adapter is quite low and has no measurable effect on the repetition rate. The load resistance of our power meter consoles is 1MOhm, so with our power meter consoles (PM200, PM100D, PM100USB and PM320) and ES111C the maximum achievable repetition rate is 40Hz.
If the signal from ES111C is recorded with an other device than our power meter consoles, the maximum repetition rate (with 50kOhm) would be 100Hz.

yuansuochao
&nbsp(posted 2014-04-29 15:25:49.493)

ES120C和145C能量计接到PM200表头上怎么使用？为什么用了几次没有读数？
How to use the ES120C with PM200? Why there is no respondance during my measurements?

shallwig
&nbsp(posted 2014-04-30 07:06:48.0)

This is a response from Stefan at Thorlabs. Thank you very much for your inquiry. I am really sorry that you are experiencing difficulty with our ES120C sensor in combination with the PM200 power meter. These two units work together, perhaps the settings of the trigger level are not correct. If it is set too high the pulses will not be recognized by the device. On page 31 in the manual http://www.thorlabs.com/thorcat/19300/PM200-Manual.pdf we describe how to change this setting. In order to troubleshoot where your measurement problems come from and how to solve them I will contact you directly.

sergii.yakunin
&nbsp(posted 2013-10-16 09:19:32.03)

Will ES111C head work with optically chopped CW light?

tschalk
&nbsp(posted 2013-10-16 11:18:00.0)

This is a response from Thomas at Thorlabs. Thank you very much for your inquiry. An energy Sensor is not designed to work with a chopped light source. Therefore photo diodes or thermal sensors would be a better solution. I will contact you directly to discuss your application.

julien
&nbsp(posted 2011-01-28 04:50:28.0)

A response from Julien at Thorlabs: Thank you for your feedback. The specification of the pulse length for the 150mJ/cm2 value is wrong and will be changed immediately. This max energy density corresponds to the maximum energy for long pulses (>1µs). Above this value the heat increase will bring the sensor above its Curie temperature and thus hamper its proper functioning. The curve in the spec sheet corresponds to the damage threshold of the adsorber surface. When damaged, the absorption of this surface will change and the responsivity of the sensor will be modified accordingly.

matthew.bergkoetter
&nbsp(posted 2011-01-26 16:26:55.0)

The max pulse energy density for the ES111C is specified here on the webpage as 0.15J/cm2 for a 10ns pulse at 1064nm, however the PDF spec sheet seems to contradict this. Based on the plot titled "Pulse Energy Ratings and Damage Thresholds", the max energy density for a 10ns pulse would be more like 2mJ/cm2 - a discrepancy of two orders of magnitude. Which is correct?

user
&nbsp(posted 2010-09-21 05:45:39.0)

Answer from Angelika at Thorlabs: The specification "max repetition rate" refers to the maximum data acquisition rate of the sensor. It is defined by the time constant of the sensor (time required to reach the initial sensor properties after a pulse).

user
&nbsp(posted 2010-09-10 06:44:52.0)

Does the maximum repetition rate for the ES111C of 40Hz refer to the maximum data acquisition rate of the sensor or the maximum repetition rate of the laser to avoid damage to the sensor?

julien
&nbsp(posted 2010-08-11 12:30:55.0)

A response from Julien at Thorlabs: the wavelength dependence of the damage threshold is related to absorption of the surface coating. As can be seen in the tab absorption graph, the absorption of the ES100 series is almost wavelength independent. The damage threshold specified can be thus used over the whole wavelength range of those sensors.

user
&nbsp(posted 2010-08-10 23:32:52.0)

the Max Pulse Energy Density of ES111C is specified with 7ns pulse but at what wavelength?

Click to EnlargeThe PM160 wireless power meter, shown here with an iPad mini (not included), can be remotely operated using Apple mobile devices.

This tab outlines the full selection of Thorlabs' power and energy sensors. Refer to the lower right table for power meter console and interface compatibility information.

Photodiode Sensors: These sensors are designed for power measurements of monochromatic or near-monochromatic sources, as they have a wavelength dependent responsivity. These sensors deliver a current that depends on the input optical power and the wavelength. The current is fed into a transimpedance amplifier, which outputs a voltage proportional to the input current.

Thermal Sensors: Constructed from material with a relatively flat response function across a wide range of wavelengths, these thermopile sensors are suitable for power measurements of broadband sources such as LEDs and SLDs. Thermal sensors deliver a voltage proportional to the input optical power.

Thermal Position & Power Sensors: These sensors incorporate four thermopiles arranged as quadrants of a square. By comparing the voltage output from each quadrant, the unit calculates the beam's position.

Pyroelectric Energy Sensors: Our pyroelectric sensors produce an output voltage through the pyroelectric effect and are suitable for measuring pulsed sources, with a repetition rate limited by the time constant of the detector. These sensors will output a peak voltage proportional to the incident pulse energy.

Power and Energy Sensor Selection Guide

There are two options for comparing the specifications of our Power and Energy Sensors. The expandable table below sorts our sensors by type (e.g., photodiode, thermal, or pyroelectric) and provides key specifications.

Alternatively, the selection guide graphic further below arranges our entire selection of photodiode and thermal power sensors by wavelength (left) or optical power range (right). Each box contains the item # and specified range of the sensor. These graphs allow for easy identification of the sensor heads available for a specific wavelength or power range.

The response time of the photodiode sensor. The actual response time of a power meter using these sensors will be limited by the update rate of your power meter console.

Typical natural response time (0 - 95%). Our power consoles can provide estimated measurements of optical power on an accelerated time scale (typically <1 s) when the natual response time is approximately 1 s or greater. As the natural response times of the S415C, S425C, and S425C-L are fast, these do not benefit from accelerated measurements and this function cannot be enabled. For more information, see the Operation tab here.

With intermittent use: maximum exposure time of 20 minutes for the S401C, otherwise maximum exposure time is 2 minutes.

All pyroelectric sensors have a 20 ms thermal time constant, τ. This value indicates how long it takes the sensor to recover from a single pulse. To detect the correct energy levels, pulses must be shorter than 0.1τ and the repetition rate of your source must be well below 1/τ.

Pyroelectric Energy Sensors

Ceramic Coating with High Damage Thresholds for High-Energy-Density Lasers

Sensor Areas from Ø11 mm to Ø45 mm Sensor Area

BNC Connector for Oscilloscope Use

Includes C-Series Connector Adapter for Use with Compatible Thorlabs Consoles (See Table Below)

The ESxxxC Standard and High Energy Pyroelectric Sensors are designed to measure pulsed coherent and incoherent sources. Pyroelectric sensors are not suited for CW measurements, as they convert energy from light pulses into voltage pulses. A black broadband or ceramic coating is used for low or high power measurements, respectively. Large sensor areas from Ø11 mm to Ø45 mm allow easy alignment. The energy sensors features BNC connectors for use with an oscilloscope, as well as standard power meter connectors which contain NIST and PTB-traceable calibration data.

Thorlabs offers a recalibration service for these energy sensors, which can be ordered below (see Item # CAL-S200).

Thorlabs offers recalibration services for our thermal power and pyroelectric energy sensors. To ensure accurate measurements, we recommend recalibrating the sensors annually. Recalibration of the console is included with the recalibration of a sensor at no additional cost. If you wish to recalibrate only your power meter console, please contact Tech Support for details.

The table to the right lists the sensors for which this calibration service is available. Please enter the Part # and Serial # of the sensor that requires recalibration prior to selecting Add to Cart.

Please Note: To ensure your item being returned for calibration is routed appropriately once it arrives at our facility, please do not ship it prior to being provided an RMA Number and return instructions by a member of our team. Pyroelectric energy sensors returned for recalibration or servicing must include the separate BNC to D89 adapter, which contains the sensor EEPROM.

Based on your currency / country selection, your order will ship from Newton, New Jersey